The Science of Sleep

Overview

The journey of recovery from an eating disorder is long and complicated. There are numerous treatment models that address this devastating health problem, but it has only recently come to light the importance of sleep in expediting the recovery process and its role in relapse prevention. With over 60% of the population reporting episodes of insomnia, those struggling with eating disorders report a much higher incidence. Sleep is the time during which the brain heals. Therefore, not only is it important that one gets enough sleep, but the quality of that sleep is a key to long term recovery. This course addresses the challenges of sleep and therapeutic intervention that will assist those who treat eating disorders.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this presentation, participants will be able to:

1. List ten techniques of sleep hygiene that are helpful in correcting sleep latency and improving sleep quality.
2. Discuss the five stages of sleep and explain how each is important for recovery.
3. Analyze how various sleep medications work and their limitations for long term correction of disordered sleep.
4. Explain how circadian rhythms and homeostatic drive work together to establish effective sleep cycles.
5. Interpret how diet, caffeine, exercise, hormones and chronic stress disrupt, fragment and wreak havoc on the body’s sleep architecture.
6. Interpret the various pathways and chemicals that interact in establishing healthy sleep patterns.